John 18 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 After Jesus had finished speaking, he and his disciples crossed over the Kidron brook and went into an olive grove.
1 Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐξῆλθε σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ πέραν τοῦ χειμάρρου τῶν Κέδρων, ὅπου ἦν κῆπος, εἰς ὃν εἰσῆλθεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ.
2 Judas the betrayer knew the place, for Jesus had often gone there with his disciples.
2 ᾔδει δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν τὸν τόπον, ὅτι πολλάκις συνήχθη καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖ μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ.
3 So Judas took with him a troop of soldiers together with guards from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They arrived there carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons.
3 ὁ οὖν Ἰούδας λαβὼν τὴν σπεῖραν καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ Φαρισαίων ὑπηρέτας ἔρχεται ἐκεῖ μετὰ φανῶν καὶ λαμπάδων καὶ ὅπλων.
4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. He went to meet them, and asked, “Who are you looking for?”
4 Ἰησοῦς οὖν εἰδὼς πάντα τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, ἐξελθὼν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τίνα ζητεῖτε;
5 “Are you Jesus of Nazareth?” they asked. “I am,” Jesus told them. Judas the betrayer was standing with them.
5 ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ· Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐγώ εἰμι. εἱστήκει δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν.
6 When Jesus said “I am,” they fell back and dropped to the ground.
6 ὡς οὖν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ ἔπεσον χαμαί.
7 So he asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” “Are you Jesus of Nazareth?” they asked again.
7 πάλιν οὖν αὐτοὺς ἐπηρώτησε· τίνα ζητεῖτε; οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον.
8 “I already told you I am,” Jesus replied. “So if I'm the one you're looking for, let these others go.”
8 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· εἶπον ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι. εἰ οὖν ἐμὲ ζητεῖτε, ἄφετε τούτους ὑπάγειν·
9 These words fulfilled what he had previously said: “I have not lost any of those you gave me.”
9 ἵνα πληρωθῇ ὁ λόγος ὃν εἶπεν, ὅτι οὓς δέδωκάς μοι, οὐκ ἀπώλεσα ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδένα.
10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and struck Malchus, the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear.
10 Σίμων οὖν Πέτρος ἔχων μάχαιραν εἵλκυσεν αὐτήν, καὶ ἔπαισε τὸν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως δοῦλον καὶ ἀπέκοψεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτίον τὸ δεξιόν· ἦν δὲ ὄνομα τῷ δούλῳ Μάλχος.
11 Jesus told Peter, “Put the sword away! Do you think I shouldn't drink the cup the Father has given me?”
11 εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ Πέτρῳ· βάλε τὴν μάχαιραν εἰς τὴν θήκην· τὸ ποτήριον ὃ δέδωκέ μοι ὁ πατήρ, οὐ μὴ πίω αὐτό;
12 Then the soldiers, their commander, and the Jewish guards arrested Jesus and tied his hands.
12 Ἡ οὖν σπεῖρα καὶ ὁ χιλίαρχος καὶ οἱ ὑπηρέται τῶν Ἰουδαίων συνέλαβον τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἔδησαν αὐτόν,
13 First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the current high priest.
13 καὶ ἀπήγαγον αὐτὸν πρὸς Ἄνναν πρῶτον· ἦν γὰρ πενθερὸς τοῦ Καϊάφα, ὃς ἦν ἀρχιερεὺς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου.
14 Caiaphas was the one who had told the Jews, “It's better that one man die for the people.”
14 ἦν δὲ Καϊάφας ὁ συμβουλεύσας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὅτι συμφέρει ἕνα ἄνθρωπον ἀπολέσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ.
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and another disciple did so too. This disciple was well-known to the high priest, and so he entered the high priest's courtyard with Jesus.
15 Ἠκολούθει δὲ τῷ Ἰησοῦ Σίμων Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητής. ὁ δὲ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος ἦν γνωστὸς τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ συνεισῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως·
16 Peter had to remain outside by the door. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went and spoke to the servant girl watching the door and brought Peter inside.
16 ὁ δὲ Πέτρος εἱστήκει πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ ἔξω. ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ μαθητὴς ὁ ἄλλος, ὃς ἦν γνωστὸς τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ εἶπε τῇ θυρωρῷ, καὶ εἰσήγαγε τὸν Πέτρον.
17 The girl asked Peter, “Aren't you one of that man's disciples?” “Me? No, I'm not,” he replied.
17 λέγει οὖν ἡ παιδίσκη ἡ θυρωρὸς τῷ Πέτρῳ· μὴ καὶ σὺ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν εἶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου; λέγει ἐκεῖνος· οὐκ εἰμί.
18 It was cold, and the servants and guards were standing by a fire they had made, warming themselves. Peter went and stood with them, warming himself.
18 εἱστήκεισαν δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι καὶ οἱ ὑπηρέται ἀνθρακιὰν πεποιηκότες, ὅτι ψῦχος ἦν, καὶ ἐθερμαίνοντο· ἦν δὲ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ὁ Πέτρος ἑστὼς καὶ θερμαινόμενος.
19 Then the chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and what he had been teaching.
19 Ὁ οὖν ἀρχιερεὺς ἠρώτησε τὸν Ἰησοῦν περὶ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ τῆς διδαχῆς αὐτοῦ.
20 “I've spoken openly to everyone,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple where all the Jewish people meet. I haven't said anything in secret.
20 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐγὼ παρρησίᾳ ἐλάλησα τῷ κόσμῳ· ἐγὼ πάντοτε ἐδίδαξα ἐν συναγωγῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ὅπου πάντοτε οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέρχονται, καὶ ἐν κρυπτῷ ἐλάλησα οὐδέν.
21 So why are you questioning me? Ask the people who heard me what I told them. They know what I said.”
21 τί με ἐπερωτᾷς; ἐπερώτησον τοὺς ἀκηκοότας τί ἐλάλησα αὐτοῖς· ἴδε οὗτοι οἴδασιν ἃ εἶπον ἐγώ.
22 When he said this, one of the guards standing nearby slapped Jesus, saying, “Is that any way to speak to the high priest?”
22 ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος εἷς τῶν ὑπηρετῶν παρεστηκὼς ἔδωκε ῥάπισμα τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰπών· οὕτως ἀποκρίνῃ τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ;
23 Jesus replied, “If I said something wrong, tell everyone what was wrong with it. But if what I said was right, why did you hit me?”
23 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ κακῶς ἐλάλησα, μαρτύρησον περὶ τοῦ κακοῦ· εἰ δὲ καλῶς, τί με δέρεις;
24 Annas sent him, his hands still tied, to Caiaphas the high priest.
24 ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἄννας δεδεμένον πρὸς Καϊάφαν τὸν ἀρχιερέα.
25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself by the fire, the people there asked him, “Aren't you one of his disciples?” Peter denied it and said, “No, I'm not.”
25 Ἦν δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος ἑστὼς καὶ θερμαινόμενος. εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ· μὴ καὶ σὺ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶ;
26 One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked Peter, “Didn't I see you in the olive grove with him?”
26 ἠρνήσατο οὖν ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπεν· οὐκ εἰμί. λέγει εἷς ἐκ τῶν δούλων τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, συγγενὴς ὢν οὗ ἀπέκοψε Πέτρος τὸ ὠτίον· οὐκ ἐγώ σε εἶδον ἐν τῷ κήπῳ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ;
27 Peter denied it again, and immediately a cock crowed.
27 πάλιν οὖν ἠρνήσατο ὁ Πέτρος, καὶ εὐθέως ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν.
28 Early in the morning they took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. The Jewish leaders didn't enter the palace because if they did they would become ceremonially unclean and they wanted to be able to eat the Passover meal.
28 Ἄγουσιν οὖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον· ἦν δὲ πρωΐ· καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον, ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φάγωσι τὸ πάσχα.
29 So Pilate came out to meet them. “What charge are you bringing against this man?” he asked.
29 ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πιλᾶτος πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ εἶπε· τίνα κατηγορίαν φέρετε κατὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου;
30 “If he wasn't a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you,” they answered.
30 ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· εἰ μὴ ἦν οὗτος κακοποιός, οὐκ ἄν σοι παρεδώκαμεν αὐτόν.
31 “Then you take him and judge him according to your law,” Pilate told them. “We're not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews answered.
31 εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλᾶτος· λάβετε αὐτὸν ὑμεῖς καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὑμῶν κρίνατε αὐτόν. εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· ἡμῖν οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἀποκτεῖναι οὐδένα·
32 This fulfilled what Jesus had said about how he would die.
32 ἵνα ὁ λόγος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πληρωθῇ ὃν εἶπε σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ ἤμελλεν ἀποθνήσκειν.
33 Pilate went back into the governor's palace. He summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
33 Εἰσῆλθεν οὖν εἰς τὸ πραιτώριον πάλιν ὁ Πιλᾶτος καὶ ἐφώνησε τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων;
34 “Did you think of this question yourself, or did others talk to you about me?” Jesus responded.
34 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ σὺ τοῦτο λέγεις ἢ ἄλλοι σοι εἶπον περὶ ἐμοῦ;
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate countered. “It was your own people and high priests who handed you over to me. What is it that you've done?”
35 ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Πιλᾶτος· μήτι ἐγὼ Ἰουδαῖός εἰμι; τὸ ἔθνος τὸ σὸν καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς παρέδωκάν σε ἐμοί· τί ἐποίησας;
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it was of this world, my subjects would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here.”
36 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἦν ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμή, οἱ ὑπηρέται ἂν οἱ ἐμοὶ ἠγωνίζοντο, ἵνα μὴ παραδοθῶ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· νῦν δὲ ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐντεῦθεν.
37 Then Pilate asked, “So you are a king, then?” “You say that I'm a king,” Jesus replied. “The reason why I was born and I came to the world was to give evidence for the truth. All those who accept the truth pay attention to what I say.”
37 εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Πιλᾶτος· οὐκοῦν βασιλεὺς εἶ σύ; ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· σὺ λέγεις ὅτι βασιλεύς εἰμι ἐγώ. ἐγὼ εἰς τοῦτο γεγέννημαι καὶ εἰς τοῦτο ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἵνα μαρτυρήσω τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. πᾶς ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκούει μου τῆς φωνῆς.
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Having said this Pilate went back out to the Jews and told them, “I find him not guilty of any crime.
38 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Πιλᾶτος· τί ἐστιν ἀλήθεια; καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν πάλιν ἐξῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ·
39 However, it is customary for me to release a prisoner to you at Passover. Do you want me to release the King of the Jews?”
39 ἔστι δὲ συνήθεια ὑμῖν ἵνα ἕνα ὑμῖν ἀπολύσω ἐν τῷ πάσχα· βούλεσθε οὖν ὑμῖν ἀπολύσω τὸν βασιλέα τῶν Ἰουδαίων;
40 “No, not him! We want Barabbas instead!” they shouted back. Barabbas was a rebel.
40 ἐκραύγασαν οὖν πάλιν πάντες λέγοντες· μὴ τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τὸν Βαραββᾶν. ἦν δὲ ὁ Βαραββᾶς λῃστής.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Annas
Named as high priest alongside Caiaphas when John began preaching, and as the father-in-law of Caiaphas, to whom Jesus was brought first.
Cited in the guide: Luke 3:2; John 18:13; John 18:24
Malchus
The servant of the high priest whose right ear Simon Peter cut off in the garden.
Cited in the guide: John 18:10
Pontius Pilate
Roman governor of Judea who questioned Jesus, found no guilt in Him, released Barabbas, and gave Him up to be crucified and permitted Joseph of Arimathea to take the body.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 27:2; Luke 3:1; John 18:38
Cross references (39)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 2 Samuel 15:23; Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:26; Luke 22:39–40
- 2 Luke 21:37; Luke 22:39; Mark 11:11–12
- 3 John 18:12; Luke 22:47–53; Psalm 3:1–2; Acts 1:16; Psalm 22:12
- 4 John 13:1; John 18:7; Acts 2:28; Acts 20:22–23; Psalm 27:3
- 5 Isaiah 3:9; John 1:46; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 2:23; John 19:19
- 6 Psalm 27:2; Psalm 70:2–3; 2 Kings 1:9–15; Acts 4:29–30; Luke 9:54–56
- 7 John 18:4
- 8 John 10:28; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 5:7; John 13:1
- 9 John 17:12
- 10 Matthew 26:51–54; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:49–51; John 18:26; Mark 14:30
- 11 Matthew 26:39; Matthew 20:22; John 20:17; John 12:27–28; Hebrews 12:2
- 12 John 18:3; Matthew 26:57; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:54; Acts 22:24–28
- 13 John 18:24; Luke 3:2; Matthew 26:3; John 11:51; Matthew 26:57
- 14 John 11:49–52
- 15 Luke 22:54; Mark 14:54; Matthew 26:58–68; Matthew 26:3
- 16 Luke 22:55–57; Matthew 26:69; Mark 14:66–68
- 17 Matthew 26:69–70; Mark 14:66–68; John 18:25; Matthew 26:33; Luke 22:56–57
- 18 Mark 14:54; John 18:25; Luke 22:55–56; Mark 14:67; Psalm 26:4–10
- 19 Mark 14:55–65; Luke 20:20; Luke 11:53–54; Matthew 26:59–68; Luke 22:63–71
- 20 John 7:26; Isaiah 48:16; Matthew 4:23; Luke 21:37; Matthew 26:55
- 21 Luke 22:67; Mark 14:55–59; Matthew 26:59–60; Acts 24:18–20; Acts 24:12–13
- 22 John 19:3; Luke 22:63–64; Mark 14:65; Isaiah 50:5–7; Matthew 26:67–68
- 23 1 Peter 2:20–23; 2 Corinthians 10:1; Matthew 5:39; Acts 23:2–5
- 24 John 18:13; Matthew 26:57
- 25 Mark 14:67–72; John 18:17–18; Matthew 26:71–75; Proverbs 29:25; Genesis 18:15
- 26 John 18:10; John 18:1; Mark 14:70–71; Luke 22:59–60; Matthew 26:73
- 27 John 13:38; Mark 14:71–72; Luke 22:60–62; Matthew 26:34; Mark 14:30
- 28 John 18:33; John 19:9; John 19:14; Mark 15:1–5; Matthew 27:27
- 29 Mark 15:2–5; Matthew 27:23; Matthew 27:11–14; Luke 23:2–3; Acts 23:28–30
- 30 Mark 15:3; John 19:12; Luke 23:2–5; Mark 10:33; Luke 20:19–26
- 31 John 19:6–7; John 19:15; Ezekiel 21:26–27; Acts 25:18–20; Hosea 3:4–5
- 32 John 3:14; Matthew 26:2; Matthew 20:19; John 12:32–33; Luke 18:32–33
- 33 Luke 23:3–4; John 19:3; Acts 2:34–36; John 12:13; Zechariah 9:9
- 35 John 19:11; Acts 22:22–24; Acts 25:19–20; John 19:6; Nehemiah 4:2
- 36 Luke 17:20–21; Colossians 1:12–14; John 6:15; Romans 14:17; Daniel 2:44
- 37 1 John 4:6; John 8:47; John 8:14; John 10:26–27; 1 John 3:19
- 38 John 19:4; John 19:6; Luke 23:4; Acts 17:32; Acts 24:25–26
- 39 Matthew 27:15–18; Mark 15:6–14; Luke 23:16–23; Matthew 27:20–23
- 40 Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Matthew 27:16; Luke 23:25; Mark 15:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
When the grand and lengthened discourse was concluded which the Lord delivered after supper, and on the eve of shedding His blood for us, to the disciples who were then with Him, and had added the prayer addressed to His Father, the evangelist John began thereafter the narrative of His passion in these words: "When Jesus had so spoken, He …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
An awful thing is death, and very full of terror, but not to those who have learnt the true wisdom which is above. For he that knows nothing certain concerning things to come, but deems it to be a certain dissolution and end of life, with reason shudders and is afraid, as though he were passing into non-existence.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… the precepts which He taught, did not offer the other cheek to the servant of the high priest when smiting Him thereon; but, so far from that, said, "If I have spoken evil, hear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?" Yet was He not on that account unprepared in heart, for the salvation of all, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
For, because both continued with Him at His crucifixion, taking away the ground of his own commendation, he saith, "That disciple was known unto the high priest." But James survived not a long time, but from the beginning he was so greatly filled with warmth, and so forsook all the things of men, and mounted up to an height unutterable, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Ought he not to have followed the example of Jesus, and said, If ye seek Me, let these go their way?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)